This drawing installation is a result of collaborative efforts between faculty
and students in the departments of Art and Theater. Inspired by Arthur
Miller’s allegory about the 17th century dramatic witchcraft accusations and
the political tensions surrounding the hearings of Joseph McCarthy, this
drawing is designed as an introductory piece for the play The Crucible.
Rather than illustrate any specific event or time, our goal was more about
projecting the anxiety itself, as a lasting link between the time-periods.
We wanted to develop an image that visually suggested the psychological
tensions of the play by juxtaposing abstract and representational elements:
We constructed this ‘space’ using fragmentation, high contrast and implied
shadows to reflect the ideas of power, distortion, fear and secrecy.